Hairpin holder



Dec. 13,' 938. w. H; sTEGER 21,140,251

HAIRPIN HOLDER Filed Feb. 17, 1938 kdm?" Patented Dee. 13,1938

UNITED STATES Hmm HOLDER Werner H.' Steger, lChicago, Ill. Application February 17, 1938, Serial No. 191,083

' 'I Claims.

This invention relates'to hairpin holders, and more particularly to a holder adapted to facili-- tate transfer of the pins directly from the holder' to the clamping engagement with hair.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive device which will hold a convenient number of resillent hairpins whose legs are urged together by a rather strong spring action. Such pins are in common use and are usually known as bobble pins". Pins Vof this character are usually hard to manipulate as the legs must be prled apart and held in open position, against the action of the spring, while being brought into clamping engagement with the hair. The present invention provides an easy means for prying open the pin and holding it open until it ls properly positioned in the haii-IWW A further object of the present invention is to provide a simple wedge-like corner portion about which the loop portion of the pin may be turned to open the legs to the required distance. In the usual practice of opening the pins by hand, the legs are frequently pried apart too far so that the elastic limit of the spring is exceeded and the pin is greatly weakened or rendered useless to perform its clamping function.

Another object of the invention is to hold the open leg portion of the pln in extended position with the lower leg lying substantially in the plane of the lower side of the holder so that the operator knows its direction without having to watch it and enables the operator to insert it exactly in the position desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device that will keep a group of pins assembled and in proper order for immediate use and enable them to be individually removed and applied by a simple one hand operation.

Other advantages of the invention will be readily' apparent from the detailed description below.

The invention is illustrated in preferred embodiments, in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan view of a holder carrying a supply of curved haii-pins and having one pin in open position ready for insertion in hair; Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the same; Fig. 3 is a top view of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of a modied type of holder adapted for use in connection with hairpins having substantially straight legs; Fig. 5 is an elevational view of the same; and Fig. 61s a top view of the device shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 13, a

(ci. 13a-'1) and 3, one longitudinal edge `portion of the body member 6 is provided with a sto-p member l2 to prevent the pins from slipping off of the holder 0n the edge opposite to the Wedge-shaped corner member. If desired, a holloWed-out finger notch l I3 may be provided to facilitatel pushing the' stock of pins along the body member. A notch i4 preferably-is provided in the top edge of the. body member adjacent to the corner member. This notch serves as a pivot point for the closed end of the hairpin loop while the pin is being rotated about the wedge into open position.

It may be noted that the body portion i is curved longitudinally so as to conform to the general line of curvature of the legs 9 and I0.. and the corner portion 1 is angularly disposed with respect to the body member so that after a hairpin has been turned to thev open position, its lower leg 9 will be held in a convenient position for insertion in hair.

In the modiiication shown in Figs. 4-6, inclusive, the holder is quite similar except that it is intended primarily for use in lconnection with hair-pins having straight legs. In speakingpof straight and curved legs, we are referring to the general shape and not to the corrugations which are commonly used on one leg of the pin. In the modified device, a thin at body member l! has a wedge-shaped corner member I8 with a flattened end portion l1 which may project above v the top edge of the body member. A notch |8- is provided between the corner member and the body member for the same purpose described above. A stop portion I9 is also shown and maybe omitted, if desired.

'In this form of a device the wedge-shaped corner portion is arranged so that when the lool! portion 20 of the straight hairpin is turned about the corner member, the lower leg 2| of the hairpin will lie substantially in the plane of the body member I5 and the other leg 22 will be turned out of the plane. Inusing thedevice, the `operator will find that the leg 2| is a prolongation of the plane of the member I5 and can conveniently slip the pin into position.

As will be readily understood, the holder may be made of .any suitable material such as sheet metal, Bakelite, or other relatively hard plastics. 'Ihe holder may be sold separately or furnished with a supply of pins. Hairpins oi' this particular type usually comeon cards and may be readily transferred from a card to the holder.'

As explained above, with a small amount oi manipulation, the operator will be able to grip the holder and turn a pin into open position with one hand while the other hand is otherwise engaged. After the pin has been inserted in a desired position, the holder may beturned slightly and thereby become disengaged with the loop to permit the legs of the pin to clamp the hair.

' The foregoing detailed description has been given for cleaness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art. I claim:

1. A hairpin holder comprising: a thin body member adapted to be embraced frictionally by a plurality'of resilient hairpins; and a wedgeshaped corner member` on said body member disposed so that the loop-end portion of said hairpins may be swung about said corner and have their leg portions separated by the wedge action of the corner.

2. A device as specified in claim 1, in-which a notch is provided in the top edge of the body member adjacent to the wedge-shaped corner member,said notch serving as a pivot Ior the closed end of a hairpin loop while said pin is being turned to open position.

3. A device as specified in claim 1, in which the wedge-shaped corner member tapers outwardly from -the body member thickness to a flattened portion of the wedge so that a hairpin may be gripped yin open position solely by the frictional contact ofthe loop of the pin against said ilattened portion of the wedge-shaped corner member.

4. A device as specified in claim 1, in which the wedge-shaped corner member is angular-ly positioned with respect to the body member so that the lower leg of a hairpin heldin open position by said corner member will lie substantially in the plane of the lower face of said body member.

5. A device as-speciiled in claim 1, in which `the body member is curved longitudinally so as to follow the general'iine of curvature of longitudinally curved hairpins which may be placed thereon. l

6. A device as speciiled in claim 1. inv which the body has a stop member at one longitudinal edge portion opposite to the corner member to prevent the hairpins from slipping o! laterally.

7. In combination: a plurality oi hairpins whose leg portions are resiliently urged into contact; a holder for said pinscomprisinga body member adapted to be ,embraced irictionally by saidpins, said holder having a wedge-shaped corner portion disposed so that the 100D portion of said pins may be slid laterally across the body member and turned about said. corner into a position with their legs separated for ready insertion into clamping engagement'with hair.

WERNm H- BTEGER. 

